Real Sociedad vs Valencia – News and Probable Lineups

This Sunday, Real Sociedad will face Valencia at the Reale Arena in their penultimate LaLiga match, as the hosts aim to end a five-match winless run before concluding their domestic season.

Valencia arrives two points behind in 11th place and lacking significant motivation, while Real Sociedad will look to provide their supporters with a triumph in their last home clash of the campaign.

Match overview

Heading into Sunday’s match, Real Sociedad faces challenges, having failed to secure a victory in their last five games across all competitions, which includes three draws and two losses.

In their latest encounter, they drew 1-1 with Girona, where Jon Martin opened the scoring in the 27th minute, only for the visitors to equalize in the 65th minute, frustrating Pellegrino Matarazzo’s side in their pursuit of all three points.

This frustrating run included a 2-2 draw with Real Betis, a 1-0 defeat to Sevilla, a 3-3 draw with Rayo Vallecano, and a 1-0 loss to Getafe, highlighting both their attacking ambitions and their struggles to maintain clean sheets at key moments.

In LaLiga, Real Sociedad’s record consists of 11 victories, 12 draws, and 13 defeats, resulting in 45 points, placing them in eighth position. They have shown more reliability at home, with eight wins, five draws, and five losses.

A standout moment in Real Sociedad’s season was winning the Copa del Rey, where they triumphed over Atletico Madrid in a penalty shootout, securing their first trophy since their last victory in the same competition in 2020.

This achievement granted them a spot in next season’s Europa League, marking a significant milestone for a club that finished 11th last season and missed European competition entirely.

In comparison, Valencia has demonstrated more consistency in their recent performances, with their last five matches across all competitions resulting in two wins, two draws, and one loss.

Currently positioned 11th in the league — two points behind their hosts — they have secured 11 wins, 10 draws, and 15 defeats this season, although their away form raises concerns with only four victories, four draws, and 10 losses yielding 16 points.

Valencia comes into Sunday’s fixture following a 1-1 stalemate at home against Rayo Vallecano, where they went behind after 19 minutes but managed to equalize in the 39th minute.

The previous meeting in August also ended 1-1, featuring Diego Lopez scoring for Valencia in the 57th minute, followed by Real Sociedad’s equalizer from Takefusa Kubo just three minutes later.

In their last five encounters, Real Sociedad has triumphed three times, alongside one draw, with Valencia winning once.

Team News

Alvaro Odriozola has been out since February due to a cruciate ligament injury and will not participate in the remaining matches this season.

Real Sociedad’s attacking lineup is likely to feature Luka Sucic and Mikel Oyarzabal, with Takefusa Kubo expected to be involved in the midfield.

For Valencia, Jose Copete is unavailable for the rest of the season after suffering a meniscus injury in February.

Renzo Saravia had to leave the field during Thursday’s 1-1 match with Rayo Vallecano due to a potential injury, making his status for Sunday uncertain pending further evaluation.

Jose Gaya was also substituted in the second half of the same game experiencing discomfort, casting doubt on his fitness ahead of the trip to the Reale Arena.

Dimitri Foulquier remains unavailable due to a knee injury, which further restricts Corberan’s options in defence for the visit to San Sebastian.

Real Sociedad probable starting XI:

Remiro; Aramburu, Martin, Caleta-Car, Gomez; Kubo, Herrera, Gorrotxatega, Barrenetxea; Sucic, Oyarzabal

Valencia probable starting XI:

Dimitriexi; Vazquez, Tarrega, Comert, Nunez; Lopez, Rodriguez, Pepelu, Rioja; Tough, War

Real Sociedad aims to end their five-match winless streak in front of their supporters for the final time this season.

Sunday’s matchup against a Valencia side that has little to contend for offers a prime opportunity for Real Sociedad to return to winning ways.